Land of Lions
by CrimsonBlossom'sTear
Summary: My version of how the group reached Pride Rock.


The tale of the Pride Lands, known far and wide as a wonderful place; ruled by King Mufasa then by way of treachery his brother Scar, and then Simba son of the great Mufasa took his throne by force. Even through the joy of life and its circle there is conflict, blood, and danger. Under the reign of Simba things were fairly calm. But as many things in this world what we know only serves to provide questions none can answer; leaving fans to let their imaginations run wild about before Mufasa, after Kiara, and thousands of "what if" scenarios. I've done a "what if", now a before. As if it weren't obvious, I don't own anything but the plot and the characters listed in the Name meanings.

Names meanings: Ajani – one who wins the struggle Sauda – dark complexion Tamu – sweet & delightful Kgosi – king, chief Asha – life Katura – Take the burden off my mind Nia – Purpose Nthanda – Star Khari – Like a king Ime – Patients Jiri – Forest of wild fruits Chausiku – Born at night Shani – Marvelous Ashanti – Aggressive, warlike Raziya – Sweet, agreeable Oni - Desired

Land of Lions

Far from the Pridelands, past the Outlands, across a roaring river, through a jungle, over a mountain, through a marsh, and across a vast savannah to another plain, stretching from a desert on the side opposite the savannah, just barely seen on the horizon, and off into the distance, a mountain sets just out of sight. On the other side of that mountain is where our story begins. In a cave not far from the base of that mountain lies a lioness and her mate. They hope to begin their own pride in this land. When a noise draws out the male and time stretches his absence, his mate begins to worry and sends herself into labor. The hours drag on further and she finds herself the mother of a beautiful little boy, silver grey in color with golden eyes and three stillborn cubs. The new mother looked sadly at her lone surviving cub as he fed and blamed herself for the deaths of her other cubs, a first litter for her and months early at that. In the morning when her mate returned his attempts to console her did nothing and as soon as the boy she had refused to name was weaned she climbed the mountain and threw herself from a cliff. When her mate returned to his den and found her missing he went looking and found the cub crying out from the ledge his mother jumped from. The dust colored male picked up the cub and walked back down the mountain where he found a young female with deep blue eyes and a silky black pelt. He set the cub down and spoke to her, "Who are you?" She looked at him and stepped back with her ears flat, "Sauda" was all she said. He looked at her a moment before pushing the cub forward, "His name is Ajani. His parents didn't survive their struggle, make sure he survives his." With the cub out of his paws he climbed back up the mountain and lay down on the same ledge his mate leapt from never to move again.

Sauda stared in shock at the silver cub. She wasn't old enough to have cubs of her own yet and had no idea how to take care of one. But as she was about to walk away without him her mother's last words to her played over in her head not for the first time since she was forced to flee her home. "Never leave anything to die for one day you may be on the other end of that treatment. And never forget, my daughter that you never would have been born without that kindness. Because your mother would have died as a cub if not for the lion you called grandfather. He took me in, brought me to his mate, your grandmother, who was days from birth. You owe everything to kindness Sauda, your life, your family, your mother, your future, everything. Remember that." Tears in her eyes she walked to the mewling cub and gently picked him up walking slowly around the mountain.

Hours rolled into days, and days into weeks. Ajani grew in size and began to get closer to Sauda. One morning she watched him playing, chasing a butterfly then she heard a hissing sound from the grass he was about to pounce on. She stood in an instant and shouted for the boy, "AJANI! COME HERE!" He stopped but did not move away from the grass, just looking at her and the hissing got louder. His hesitation worried her for reasons she did not understand, "NOW!" Surprised the cub slowly crept toward her ears back and frightened, "Did I upset you? I'm sorry…" he suddenly ran to her and nuzzled her leg. "Please don't leave me mama! I won't upset you again! Please!" Shocked at being called "mama" she looked down at him and saw the tears falling from his bright gold eyes. She nuzzled the top of his head and spoke as softly and soothingly as she could "Ajani no matter what you do I will not leave you." Not looking at her he mumbled "My real mom and dad did. Why? Was I not good enough for them?" She gently set her paw on his back and pulls him to her "There will never be an excuse for what they did and I won't even attempt to understand it. But I will tell you that you are as much my son as if I had been the one who gave birth to you." After a short pause she spoke again, "Do you want a new name? So you don't have to remember them?" The cub looked at her and stared a moment then nodded and buried his face in her fur. She smiled and nuzzled him again "Alright. From now on you will be my own little sweetie, my delightful son, Tamu." As the day faded to night she fell asleep looking at the sky with her son in her paws.

It wasn't long after that they had made it to the savannah where a pride of lions already lived. Sauda wanted to avoid contact with any other lions until she knew it was safe for Tamu, but luck wasn't on her side. Not a full day after their arrival at the plains they received a visitor; a large light brown male approached the two. Sauda knew she would not be able to either outrun or fight him but none the less stepped in front of Tamu defensively. The male looked at the odd pair, a silver male cub, nearly a year old if he were to guess, and a black female. More over the small built female was standing in defense of the cub. He spoke in a rumbling voice, "Who are you? What are you doing in my land?" After a bit of hesitation Sauda spoke, saying no more than she had to "Passing through." He looked at Tamu "Your brother?" She looked directly in his mud brown eyes and stated very clearly, "My son." He raised a brow and sized up the pair then turned and began to walk into the sunset, "Follow me." Sauda didn't move "I'd rather not." He stopped and looked at her around his slick mud brown main, "That wasn't a question. If you don't want anything to happen to the cub you will do as you're told." There was a tense moment of hesitation before she looked at Tamu and whispered, "Stay under me and run if something happens." He nodded and the two followed the large male to where they assumed was where his pride lived.

They reached a large Baobab tree and at the base of it was a small pride of lions, four females, one heavily pregnant and separated from the others, the only male was the one who brought them there, and no cubs to be found. The male sent her over to the lionesses and walked over to the pregnant lioness before leaving to continue patrol. One of the lionesses asked her where she was from; her response was "I'd rather not say." Each of the lionesses asked a question, who she was, who the cub was, his name, her relationship with him, every question was answered with as few words as possible. Sauda didn't like this place. Something was very off.

Three weeks passed and the pregnant lioness left the group to give birth. Day after day she did not return and Sauda got an eerie feeling. So in the night, while the rest of the pride was asleep, she woke Tamu, who was now too big for her to carry and just starting to grow in a gray-brown mane. The two went in the same direction the female went until they found the lioness, dead in the savanna grass. They had just started to back away when a rustling sound came from behind the frightened pair. Turning quickly they saw the light brown male they knew as king of the savanna, Kgosi. Stepping once again in front of Tamu she stared hard at him but could not hide the anxiety she felt. Kgosi spoke gruffly to the young male, "Return to the pride boy." Looking to Sauda once again he waited for her to tell him what he should do. When she nodded he hesitated but Kgosi's growl sent him to the tree.

Tamu hurried back and found the rest of the lionesses awake. One of them looked sadly at the boy, "You have yet to see his true nature. There were seven of us but each time Kgosi choses a mate she has only daughters and he kills the cubs and their mother for treason. Your mother seems to have the misfortune of being his next mate. I suggest you leave now, while you can." Tamu was tempted for a split second, "I can't. Mother says to never leave someone to die. If she's in danger I have to protect my mother." When the sun rose Sauda did not return to the pride. It was only when the sun was high in the sky did she finally returned but she was not her usual self. Tamu didn't leave her side, and Kgosi allowed him to remain there but she was kept away from the other lionesses. Tamu was young but smart. He knew what was wrong with his mother, and where he had found himself unable to hate his birth parents he found himself unable to feel anything but hate for Kgosi. Watching as his mother's heart broke with each day his own grew hard with the mounting hatred for the savannah's king. Until one day, when his mother left the pride to give birth, he went after the brutal king.

When morning came the three lionesses of the pride waited for Kgosi to return and pass his judgment on his newest litter. But Kgosi did not return, and neither did Tamu. Days went by before anyone saw either Sauda or the young Tamu. When Sauda did return she was determined to defend her three daughters from their brutal father but still Kgosi did not show and when she saw Tamu was not there she panicked. Turning to the other lionesses and questioning them. They seemed sure that Tamu had died in a fight against Kgosi or fled the savannah. But Sauda knew her son, he would not abandon her. Only her daughters kept her from going after the two males. Several more days went by before the form of a lion came on the horizon, only a shadow in front of the setting sun. When this lion came closer to the group they saw silver grey fur, a mane that wasn't done growing, and orange eyes. Tamu had returned at last, though he was thin and had scars on his side, hip, and nose. He looked at each lioness and then his mother, "Kgosi will never bother you again."

The three survivors of the pride were in tears of both joy and uncertainty. Kgosi was gone but Tamu was not big enough to defend them from rogues. But for now at least, they were safe. All was well for several seasons, and soon Tamu was introduced to his younger sisters; the eldest Asha, she was the same dusty brown as her father with her mother's deep blue eyes, black rings on the insides of her ears, and black tail fur, Katura the middle daughter, a mini version of her mother with glossy black fur and deep blue eyes, and the youngest Nia, dark brown with muddy brown eyes and a dusty brown diamond on her forehead and line down her back from the back of her head to the base of her tail and black tail fur. When Sauda brought her cubs to the pride Tamu was unsure but the three lionesses of the pride wanted to kill them and erase all traces of their vicious father. Sauda and Tamu nearly attacked them. Though the cubs were safe for the moment they knew they could not stay there, it would risk the girl's safety, so as the sun set the group left the savannah, never to return.

The five lions settled in a marsh where food was plentiful to those who mastered the terrain. Sauda and Tamu both worked hard and with time became efficient hunters. Many more seasons passed and the girls grew into mouthy teens while Tamu became a strong male. Full grown he was broad shouldered with a thick grey-brown mane, he was a force to be reckoned with. He put that force to use when rogue males took interest in his sisters or mother. What caught him off guard was a lone lioness in his marsh. He caught the strange scent on a breeze and followed it thinking it was only another male. What he found was a dark orange lioness with tan tail fur and bright yellow eyes.

He was stunned at the sight of this new lioness. She turned to him and in a silky voice spoke, "What do you want?" He had never met any lion who behaved with such poor manners. He stepped forward, "This marsh is my territory. I should be asking that." She grumbled, "I'll be on my way then, as soon as I get something to eat." Moving as close as she would allow he shook his heavy head, "You don't have to. You're welcome to stay here, with me and my family." She looked at him with scrutinizing eyes, "Well….. We'll see how things go first." A huge grin spread across his face, "My name is Tamu. What about you?" Raising an eyebrow at his forward manners she followed him to the tree his small family was under. "Nthanda." Sauda looked at her son, "A new friend Tamu?" She asked teasingly while Asha, Katura and Nia giggled. After introductions the triplets and Sauda went to hunt, with Nthanda following. "You don't need to hunt with us." Shaking her head Nthanda replied simply, "I feel guilty just staying behind and eating whatever you catch." After that the whole group got closer, except Katura. She became secretive, sneaking off each night and one day she didn't come back. The whole group looked and looked but there was no sign of her anywhere in the marsh. Sauda was distraught at the loss of her daughter but her time of grieving was short. A fire ripped through the land, destroying all life in the marsh, creeping closer and closer to the small pride. Led by Tamu they had no choice but to flee. Sauda got caught in the blaze but urged her children to move forward, saying she would see them again one day. And she did, in the land where the old are young again.

Tamu forced Asha and Nia to move forward, out of the path of the fire, not stopping until they came to a mountain. But the fire still blazed behind them. They pushed onward, over rocks and across cracks and cliffs until finally, they came to a jungle. A pride already lived there but the king, Khari, welcomed them into his own small pride. It was in that jungle that Tamu and Nthanda had cubs. Their daughter Ime was born with her father's golden eyes and a lighter orange pelt than her mother with light tan tail fur while her brother Jiri had his mother's bright yellow eyes and darker orange pelt. The family was happy for years until Khari, in his old age, was overthrown by a rogue and Tamu was forced to leave. He took his cubs, mate and now adult sisters and fled the jungle.

Stopping at the edge of a river the group spent the night. When the sun came over the land Tamu woke with a great yawn and saw a lion on the other bank, a tan male with pointy features. He gazed over the group glaring in turn at Tamu, Nthanda, Jiri, Ime, and Asha, but his gaze lingered on Nia until Tamu stepped in front of her. With a snarl the pointy male left and slowly the lionesses around him woke. Asha looked around, "How are we going to cross this?" Tamu shook his thick mane, "I'm not sure yet. We had better go up river and look for a calmer place." With that Nthanda carried her sleeping son while Nia carried Ime, Tamu had insisted he needed to be ready for a fight but didn't say why.

They spent all day traveling the river, but still it was not calm enough to cross. "Look there." Asha pointed out some rocks. "We could cross them can't we?" Tamu was apprehensive but agreed as long as he went first. The rocks were slippery but the large male made it safely to the other side, followed shortly by Nthanda and his sisters. Once on the other bank the group headed away from the river, but the further away they got the more dead everything seemed. Suddenly Tamu became rigid; turning with a growl he faced the pointy lion from the riverbank. The lion didn't seem phased by the much larger male, "You seem familiar to me." Tamu didn't relax, "I've never seem you before." The two males stared hard at each other, until Tamu noticed the pointy male's bright orange eyes. Smirking at the look that crossed Tamu's face the male almost sneered, "You got those eyes from your mother, my sister Chausiku." Tamu snarled but didn't say anything. Turning the pointy male spoke over his shoulder, "Come. You may stay with me tonight. Nephew." Tamu growled but followed with his family in tow. On the way the pointy male told the story of the ill-fated Chausiku. "My sister was brilliant until he came along. That smooth talker, I assume to be your father, led her away to a life on the run. I am Shani by the way." Tamu was annoyed by this male, though he wasn't sure why, probably something to do with how Nia looked at him.

The group spent a bit of time with Shani but soon Tamu had more of him than he could take. But when he went to leave he found that only Nthanda and his cubs would be joining him. Nia was so entranced by Shani she wouldn't leave him and Asha didn't like the idea of leaving her alone. Nthanda managed to get Tamu to leave without trouble but his sisters were hurt by the things he said to them. Days went by and Nia only grew more attached to Shani. Asha didn't trust him but she didn't want to upset her younger sister. One night Shani led Nia out away from Asha who waited anxiously all night for Nia to return. But Nia didn't come back until noon the next day. She looked at Asha with sparkling brown eyes as she told her she was pregnant. But when the moon came up Shani had yet to return, the two followed his scent to a pride. He lay watching cubs play, a mud colored lioness nuzzling is side while newborns suckled her. Heartbroken, Nia fled with Asha in pursuit.

They ran through the night, until the scenery terrain turned a lush green in the morning sunlight. When Shani went to the the place they had been using as a den and found it empty he was furious and tracked down their scent, crossing the boarders into the Pridelands. When he found the runaways he was ready to skin them, and he might have if not for the king of the Pridelands himself. Shani glared at him and with a snarl said, "They are mine Mohatu!" The large white male cast a glance at the two lionesses and that told him all he needed to know, they feared him. With an air of authority he cast a commanding look at the slender male, "If they wish sanctuary here then they have it. You can do nothing on MY land." Shani growled and cast a final glare at the two before returning to his own land. Asha looked at the white king with surprise. "Why did you defend us?" He smiled slightly at her but did not answer. Turning he went back to Pride Rock and after looking to each other the sisters followed him. He had only two other lionesses in his own pride and they welcomed the sisters. Nia was nervous but after explaining Mohatu assured her that her cubs would be safe in his pride.

During the time spent at Pride Rock Asha found herself growing attached to her new king. She went out of her way to spend time with him and naturally he found himself growing fonder of her as well. Mohatu called her to his side one morning and Asha did her best not to seem nervous. Later that day she was announced the queen of the Pridelands, and then days later she went to her mate after a hunt. "Mohatu, I have a surprise." She spoke softly, almost afraid of his reaction. Nuzzling her cheek he asked, "What would that be Asha?" Returning the gesture and feeling more confident she practically purred, "You're going to be a father." His pale blue eyes went wide for a moment before he began bouncing around like a cub while Asha giggled and the other lionesses laughed. Only a day later Nia left the pride to give birth. She returned a few months later and introduced her daughters to the pride; Uru, a dark brown-red with the golden eyes of her father, orange tail fur, and a dusty brown diamond on her forehead like her mother, and Ashanti a brownish tan with a muddy brown stripe down her back from the top of her head to the end of her tail, brown eyes, brown tail fur and her father's pointy features. Ashanti lived up to her name, she was a hostile cub much of the time and got bratty when she didn't get her way, Uru was just a brat. The two basked in the attention they got, being the only cubs in the pride, but it was only a few months before Asha went away to give birth to her own cubs. Nia's twins couldn't have cared less until the new cubs were brought to the pride. Ashanti and Uru weren't thrilled with their cousins, young Raziya was a pale creamy brown with pale blue eyes like her father and Oni was a shade of dusty grey brown with her mother's darker eyes, black tail fur, and black rings around the insides of her ears.

Eventually Uru got used to them but Ashanti didn't really change. The other two lionesses both had cubs of their own; each had only a single daughter. The lack of an heir worried Mohatu but for the moment he left well-enough alone. Years went by and while on their first hunt Ashanti and Uru were separated. While looking for her sister Uru found a male. Light golden with lighter toes, a scruffy black mane, and slender build. She stared at him as he slept when suddenly his eyes shot open as he lunged at her. He knocked her to the ground and stood over her growling, "What's your business here?!" Shock faded to annoyance as she pushed him off in a burst of strength and stood ready to fight, "This is my uncle's territory! You should be telling me what YOU'RE doing here!" As he was about to reply Ashanti pounced on him trying to claw at his throat. Uru attempted to calm her younger sister and save the scrawny male but Ashanti was stronger. Mohatu heard the sounds of fighting and rushed to the scene. When he saw Ashanti trying to tear apart a rogue and Uru trying to save him he wasn't really sure what was happening but put a stop to it anyway with a loud, commanding roar. All three stopped in their tracks and Mohatu looked at his nieces, "You two over here now." Then turned to the golden rogue, "Who are you and what are you doing in my kingdom?" Standing and shaking the dirt from his fur the lean male introduced himself, "I'm called Ahadi. I didn't live up to my father's expectations so I was banished." Mohatu could see no reason to distrust him at the moment so he invited Ahadi to come to Pride Rock. The girls gave up the hunt and followed, Uru entranced by the golden male and Ashanti grumbling about her fight being interrupted.

After a couple days to settle in Uru padded over to a napping Ahadi, "So…..how do you like the Pridelands?" Without opening his eyes he replied, "Go away." Uru growled, "My uncle is the king, remember? You had better be nice to me." Ahadi lifted his head, green eyes glinting, "That doesn't mean anything you little brat. My FATHER was king and look what happened to me. And for the record, princesses Raziya and Oni are a lot more tolerable than you." Laying his head back down Ahadi resumed his nap, while Uru, who had never been spoken to like that before, stared at him with wide eyes before huffing and walking off to sulk.

Days became months and due to not having a son of his own, or any males in his pride at all, Mohatu named Ahadi his heir. To the pride that meant he would have to take either Raziya or Oni as his mate but neither of them showed interest in him other than teasing. Of course he wasn't the only one they teased; Uru got plenty of that too. Ashanti only became more distant. Oni and Raziya came to see Ahadi as a brother and Mohatu saw him as a son.

Uru went over to him with a warthog after he finished patrolling one morning. Dropping her prey she smiled, "Sorry I was such a brat before Ahadi." He raised a dark brow but lay down and ate anyway, stopping he looked up as she started walking away. "Hungry?" He asked, she looked back with a ridiculous grin on her face and lay down on the other side of the unfortunate pig. Ashanti, watching the scene, growled. She never liked him, she wasn't fond of the pride, she just didn't like anything.

When the time came for Mohatu to retire the animals of the Pridelands gathered at Pride Rock for the crowning of the new king, Ahadi. The now adult Uru, Ashanti, Oni, Raziya, and the two daughters of the other pride lionesses roared their approval when Ahadi roared out his new position to all his new subjects. The aging Mohatu, Asha, Nia and other two lionesses watched the next generation with pride and joy. Their home was in good paws. Time marched forward and Ahadi and Uru got closer until, finally, he asked her to be his mate. Uru was more than happy to accept. Ashanti may not have liked him but she loved power. She was jealous of her sister's new position and became more distant than ever. She hardly spoke to the other lionesses and never said a word to Uru.

When Uru announced her pregnancy Ashanti was fuming. She left that night with a purpose. Finding a rogue male she mad it perfectly clear to him, all she wanted was cubs. She couldn't care less if he left after that. Naturally the rogue accepted her offer; he got his fun with no strings attached. When she returned to the pride she told them she was jumped by the rogue and as king and her brother-in-law Ahadi could not let it slide. He went after the rogue and killed him. Ashanti smiled to herself; she loved when things went her way. Oni didn't trust Ashanti but did nothing, she was dangerous when crossed. Raziya went to the waterhole, and came face to face with a cream colored male, with a wave to his golden mane and dark green eyes. He smirked at her and she found herself a giggling mess. If she knew he was going to leave her in the morning she would have left him alone. Ahadi, now aware of the impending problem, called Oni and the other two lionesses to him to warn them about rogues, unless of course they wanted cubs.

Oni made sure to keep clear of rogues. She didn't want cubs, at least, not yet. But fate had other plans. On an evening hunt their prey was stolen by a rogue, brown as the bark of a Baobab with shining yellow eyes, his thick, shaggy mane a shade of brown-gray. He looked at the three huntresses and smiled, that look told them what he wanted, and it wasn't food. The three headed back to Pride Rock but this rogue wasn't taking no for an answer, he rushed in front of Oni. She snarled at him and the other two circled him, all ready to fight if need be. "Now, now ladies, I just wanted to talk." He said in a sultry voice. Oni growled, "We know what you want and it's not going to happen. So buzz off." He just laughed until one of the other two roared, and was answered by Ahadi. The rogue beat a quick getaway.

Much to Oni's displeasure he didn't take the hint. She seemed to be the only one he pursued, and what worried her more was that she was beginning to melt. She was actually falling for his pretty words and suave attitude. It continued until he finally got what he wanted. Oni was so sure he would stay so when the morning came and he was gone she returned to pride rock, heartbroken. Ahadi went looking for that rogue; intent on making him take responsibility for this but could not locate him. On return to Pride Rock he sighed. Of the six lionesses in his pride four were now pregnant and three of those were pregnant by rogues. He called Uru in to discuss the matter. They decided that when the remaining two lionesses decided they wanted cubs they would be his.

That came in a few months. But by then all four pregnant lionesses were heavily pregnant and, one by one, they left to give birth. Ahadi was nervous but Mohatu assured him the girls were fine, though that did relatively little to ease his nerves. The way he saw it, not only was he going to be a father, but the pride was about to get a lot bigger and busier. Unfortunately old Mohatu died a day after that followed days later by Nia. Another month saw the deaths of the other lionesses of the pride until only Asha remained. First to return was Ashanti, eager to show off her daughter, Zira. Next came Oni with four daughters, the eldest Sarabi, second born Naanda, third born Dwala, and youngest Diku, all had their mother's black rings on their ears but only Naanda had the black tail fur, the rest resembled their father, especially Sarabi. The next day Raziya came in with her only daughter, Sarafina. Last to return was Uru, with her two sons Mufasa the younger and Taka the elder. Uru seemed worried for her elder son; he was small and seemed sickly. Ahadi called in the shaman, Rafiki, to see to his son. Rafiki said the boy would live but he would always be smaller and weaker than his younger brother. So despite being the eldest and rightful heir Taka was passed over as heir of the Pridelands. Ahadi felt guilty for it but he saw it as the best option for his son and his kingdom.


End file.
